Plumbit sidebars are made from two separate choices: a layout decides whether a sidebar column appears, and a widget area supplies the content shown in that column. Set those choices independently so an empty area is not mistaken for a missing layout.
Before you start#
Confirm that Plumbit is active and that you have access to Appearance > Widgets and the Customizer. Record the page or context you are changing, because the main site sidebar, Shop sidebar, header areas, and footer areas serve different locations.
Choose the sidebar layout#
Open the relevant Customizer section and find the site or Shop layout setting. Choose Left Sidebar, Right Sidebar, or Full Width. The layout choice controls the sidebar column and its position; it does not add widgets to an area.
For a supported page, post, Service, Project, Team Member, or product, open Page Options and use Layout for a content-level exception. Choose Without Sidebar, Sidebar Right, or Sidebar Left, then update the content. Leave the override unchanged when the global layout should continue to apply.
Add content to a widget area#
Open Appearance > Widgets, select the intended area, and add the widget or block. The main site area is Main Sidebar. Shop pages use Shop Sidebar; the separate Above Shop Sidebar is used above the Shop content when that area is active. Add content to the area that matches the page you are checking.
Adding a widget does not automatically enable a sidebar layout. Enabling a sidebar layout does not automatically populate the selected widget area. Save both parts, then check a logged-out page.
Check the result#
Save the layout#
Publish the Customizer change or update the page-level override.
Save the widget area#
Confirm the widget or block is inside the intended area and that its own settings are saved.
Refresh the correct context#
Test a normal page, post, Shop page, or product that uses the selected settings. Do not judge a theme sidebar from an Elementor editor canvas alone.
Know the other widget areas#
Plumbit also provides left and right top-header widget areas, plus Footer Sidebar 1 through 4. These areas are not substitutes for the Main Sidebar or Shop Sidebar. Use the footer guide for footer columns and the header guide for top-header content.
See How to configure the Plumbit theme header and How to manage Plumbit footer widgets and the bottom footer.
Expected result#
The chosen layout controls the sidebar column, the chosen widget area contains the intended content, and the two settings remain understandable when you test the public page.
Support escalation#
Send the affected URL, context, layout choice, selected widget area, saved widget name, viewport, and relevant browser or PHP-log evidence. Do not send passwords. See Getting support for Plumbit.
Related articles
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How to manage Plumbit footer widgets and the bottom footer
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